Rajasthan Royals (RR) teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi Made headlines once again during Qualifier 2 ipl 2026 with a brilliant innings against Gujarat Titans (GT) In New Chandigarh. While the 15-year-old’s strokeplay earned widespread praise, one particular phase of the competition also sparked discussion among fans and experts.
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan Sharing his thoughts on social media after the match, he emphasized on the bowling strategy of Gujarat Titans against the young batsman. His comments immediately attracted attention as RR’s campaign came to an end despite another memorable performance from their breakout star.
This discussion started with GT’s short-ball approach against Suryavanshi during Rajasthan Royals’ innings. Gujarat’s pace trio Kagiso Rabada, Mohammad Siraj And Prasidh Krishna Targeted the youngsters with consistent back-of-the-length deliveries and bodyline bowling on the used surface.
A notable moment came in the 14th over when Rabada hit Suryavanshi on the helmet with a sharp short-pitched delivery, forcing the batsman to undergo mandatory concussion assessment. The pressure continued in the next over as Siraj also attacked the body, although the Royals opener responded with a six.
Responding after the match, Pathan questioned the tactics and admitted that he was uncomfortable seeing a 15-year-old being targeted in this manner. Despite the challenge posed by GT’s fast bowlers, Suryavanshi once again displayed his remarkable flair, finding ways to counter the hostile spell and keeping Rajasthan in the contest.
“Body line bowling to stop 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi doesn’t sit well with me. I know he’s playing against big boys, but the father in me doesn’t agree.” Irfan said.
Body line bowling does not suit me to stop 15 year old Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
I know he is playing against big boys but the father in me doesn’t agree.
– Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) 29 May 2026
Also Read: Fans hail Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s courageous innings after he gets close to a century against GT in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2
Suryavanshi shines despite the defeat of Rajasthan Royals
After losing Rajasthan Yashasvi Jaiswal And Dhruv Jurel Suryavanshi took the responsibility of rebuilding the innings in the first two overs. The youngster initially took time to adjust to the conditions before launching a series of aggressive strokes against one of the strongest bowling attacks in the competition.
His innings of 96 off 47 balls included several attractive shots, including a brilliant straight six off Rabada’s 153 kmph delivery. This knock helped RR post a competitive score of 214/6 Ravindra Jadeja And Donovan Ferreira Also making useful contributions.
However, while chasing the target, Gujarat Titans gave a brilliant reply. captain Shubman Gill While leading from the front, he scored a brilliant 104 runs in 53 balls. Sai Sudarshan GT added 58 runs while chasing the target with seven wickets remaining and secured their place in the final of IPL 2026.
Also read: Rishabh Pant steps down from captaincy of Lucknow Super Giants after disappointing performance in IPL 2026 season
